Sefer Beit Aharon, references to all biblical verses, by Rabbi Aharon son of Shmuel. Frankfurt am Oder, [1690]. First edition.
Signature on the title page ”Given to me by Hashem these are the words of Hak’ Aryeh Leib of Brisk D’Lita”.
And a long ownership inscription ”Belongs to the great wonderful Gaon the miracle worker… Kavod Moreinu rabbi Aryeh Leib, rabbi of the holy community of Brisk, son of the wonderful Gaon S”Z Zt”l who was rabbi in Krakow, Son-in-law of the Gaon & Chassid…. rabbi of Lemberg”.
His Holy signature is Extremely Rare! Apparently this is the only example in the world.
The famous Holy Gaon Rabbi Aryeh Judah Leib b. Samuel Zevi Hirsch Sirkes (1640–1718) was the grandson of Rabbi Joel Sirkes the Bach. He studied under his stepfather Rabbi David ha-Levi, author of the Turei Zahav, and later under Rabbi Joshua Hoeschel of Cracow. At the age of 23, he was appointed rabbi of Zwierz (in the district of Lemberg) and five years later of Kamorna. Later he was rabbi of Stopnica (1677–78), Zamosc (1682), Tiktin (1689), Cracow (1695), and Brest-Litovsk (Brisk) (1701–18).
His responsa, entitled Sha’agat Aryeh, were published by his grandson R. Abraham Nathan Neta Meisels, who added his own responsa under the title of Kol Shahal (Neuwied, 1736; Salonika, 1746). R. Aryeh Judah Leib also prepared a collection of his grandfather’s responsa for publication. However, the work, She’elot u-Teshuvot Ge’onei Batrai, which includes three of his own responsa at the end, appeared (Turka, 1764) only after his death. In several responsa R. Aryeh Judah Leib states that his halakhic decision is to be applied in practice subject to the agreement of his stepfather R. David ha-Levi, whose comment on these responsa was: "My stepson has determined the halakhah exactly."
See C. N. Dembitzer, Kelilat Yofi, 2 (1893), 61; EJ; JE; B. Friedberg, Luhot Zikkaron (1897), 24–25; Z. Horowitz, Kitvei ha-Ge\'onim (1928), 139; I. Halperin (ed.), Pinkas Va\'ad Arba Arazot (1945), 214 n. 3.
2, 2, 56, 58-115, 116-178 leaves. 31.1cm.
The author, who worked on the writing of the sefer for approximately ten years, lists in his introduction thirty six seforim to which he refers in his work. The sefer received enthusiastic approbations by the rabbis of the generation, who noted that it is the first reference work ever on the bible. Today it constitutes an inseparable part of the printed bibles.
The title page is unique in that on its upper part appears a text and on the lower part an impressive illustration of Shmuel and Aharon. The creator of the title page is Reb Mordechai Slavitzer.
Overall in Good condition, stains, light wear & small marginal tears to first 2 pages, light marginal worming, wear & tears to last 2 pages, new binding.
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